Vltava
The Vltava ( ; ; , ) is the longest river within the Czech Republic, running southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and Prague, and finally merging with the Elbe at Mělník. It is commonly referred to as the Czech national river. Course The Vltava river is long and drains an area about in size, over half of Bohemia and about a third of the Czech Republic's entire territory. As it runs through Prague, the river is crossed by 18 bridges (including the famous Charles Bridge, shown below) and covers within the city.Source : Avantgarde Prague The water from the river was used for drinking until 1912, when the Vinohrady Water Tower ceased pumping operations.Water Tower of Vinohrady, stovezata.praha.eu, retrieved 14 November 2013 Several dams were built on it in the 1950s. The Orlík Dam supports the largest reservoir on the Vltava by volume, while the Lipno Dam in the Bohemian Forest ( ) retains the largest reservoir by area. North of Prague the Štěchovice Reservoir has been built over the site of the St John's Rapids. The river also features numerous locks and weirs that help mitigate its flow from in elevation at its source near the German border to at its mouth in Mělník. The height difference from source to mouth is about and the largest stream at the source is named Černý Potok (Black Brook). The Vltava itself originates by a confluence of two streams, the Warm Vltava (Teplá Vltava), which is longer, and the Cold Vltava (Studená Vltava), sourcing in Bavaria. Along its course, Vltava receives many tributaries, the biggest being Otava and Berounka from the left and Lužnice and Sázava from the right side. Its section around Český Krumlov (specifically from Vyšší Brod to Boršov nad Vltavou) is a very popular destination of water tourism. thumb|left|500px|The Vltava as it flows under the Charles Bridge in Prague Etymology Both the Czech name Vltava and the German name Moldau are believed to originate from the old Germanic words wilt ahwa ("wild water") (cf. Latin aqua). In Annales Fuldenses (872 AD) it is called Fuldaha; from 1113 AD it is attested as Wultha. In Chronica Boemorum (1125 AD) it is attested for the first time in its Bohemian form as Wlitaua. Floods The Vltava basin has flooded multiple times throughout recorded history. Markers have been created along the banks denoting the water line for notable floods in 1784, 1845, 1890, 1940, and the highest of all in 2002. In August of that year, the basin was heavily affected by the 2002 European floods when the flooded river killed several people and caused massive damage and disruption along its length, including in Prague. It left the oldest bridge in Prague, Charles Bridge, seriously weakened, requiring years of work to repair. Prague was again flooded in 2013. Many locations within the Vltava and Elbe basins were left under water, including the Prague Zoo, but metal barriers were erected along the banks of the Vltava to help protect the historic city centre. Use in culture and science One of the best-known works of classical music by a Czech composer is Bedřich Smetana's Vltava, which is usually called The Moldau on recordings and in programmes. It is from the Romantic era of classical music and is a musical depiction of the river's course through Bohemia (listen). A minor planet 2123 Vltava discovered in 1973 by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh is named after the river. Smetana's symphonic poem also inspired a song of the same name by Bertolt Brecht. An English version of it, by John Willett, features the lyrics Deep down in the Moldau the pebbles are shifting / In Prague three dead emperors moulder away. See also * Moldavite References External links * Category:Vltava Category:Vltava basin Category:Rivers of the Central Bohemian Region Category:Rivers of the South Bohemian Region Category:Geography of Prague